The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-01-27

ana It's love OF the good, tho true and
tho elevating? Would it ever be said
of him, "here lies q great soul killed BY,
cruel wrong?" Would ''hleak, desc.
late noon" be all left to him of this
beautiful dream of his clouded life, and
would the words that crushed up hot
" from his heart" come to naught at
last.
Sorrow had always kept his soul
heretofore, but lately he had dreamed
of brighter, better things.
| The gates Of a fair, sweet Edenland
had been held ajar for him by her
hand, and the past few months had
been like q beautiful sunset showing
against his dark day:
They had revealed to him what his
life might have been-had she come to
him in years gone by; but, perhaps,
they, too; were more like beautiful
sunset than he cared to have them;
perhaps they would 20 out into cheer
less night, as the gold and purple
bands, trembling away out there in
the gray cleaning of the November
twilight, would Jade into the comfort.
less West.
He would sit down in this lonely
hour, and write to her all that was in
his heart. 1t seemed O desperate re-
solve for one of his timid, supersensi-
tive nature, but he had come to where
he could not keep silent longer. He
would risk it; this confession would
have to be made some time, and why
not tonight? He never could say it
to her, he thought; but he could write
It, for tho warm, passionate, poet
soul was beating against these bar
riers OF silence, impatient to be heard.
And when the gray twilight had
deepened into night the letter was fin.
ished-the letter with the oldest re-
quest in it that he had ever penned.
He had said: IF you can only be q
friend-and God bless you! YOU have
been q good one-answer this letter
by. saying SO; if you can return my
love and will keep the heart have
long since given you, please call on me
on your return, and will know when
set my eyes on you that the sun.
shine has come to my soul to stay
and forever to bless; but, if you are
offend ed by this earnest appeal of an
honest heart, pass me by and write
me from your own hOme."
By and by there came a letter, and
his brain whirled as the familiar su.
prescription met his gaze. All! what
had she written? His heart stood
still i'll it's agony Of suspense, as his
trembling fingers tore of tho end of the
white envelope. She had written on.
ly q line, and it said: II shall be on
my way home next week." The mis-
sive slipped from his hand to the floor
and he sat perplexed. Did she mean
that she vas going to pass him by,
Pharisee fashion, or did she mean
that she intended to stop off and sec
him? Oh! 1t must be that she was
intending to call, as she did not say
one word about being lust friend. "
No, she either meant to make hin,
happy or plunge him back into the
gulf of nothingness from which she had
lifted him. All! that would be some
thing beside which death would be a
kindness!
"Next week" had come and gone up
to Friday noon, still he sat by the
window watching every westward
bound train. His position also gave
him q view OF the street, and he knew
the way she would come-if she came
to him at all.
The days he had waited seemed end
less, but the week was going too fast.
On! for glimpse OF her around the
corner yonder. There was the last
train for to-day. Now he would look
with eager eyes for it might be that
surely she would have had time now
to come in sight, but she had not.
No, she meant to forget him. and he
covered his weary eyes with his hands,
and sat still, 50 still that he was
counting the pulsations of his aching
heart. A step sounded on the walk
outside, but lie had not the courage
to look no; of course it was not her,
and he wished that he was-but the
door opened softly, and-"I have
come" she said.
He looked up, there stood the one
dear woman OF all the world, radiant
with the love light in her happy,
kindly face, and she was holding out
her hands to him.
! 'Oh! it is you," he exclaimed, q
wild delight ringing through his words.
Ills vision grew misty, and he trem.
bled with his great happiness. He
clasped her to his joyous heart. and
pressed a long passionate kiss-the
one kiss of his lifetime-on the blessed
face. MY love, my life!!" he said,
with emotion, still holding her in his
arms. "Do you know what your
coming brings, dearest?" he asked,
looking down into her bright face.
"Happiness," she answered with a
smile.
"More than that, love-" and he
passed his hand carressingly over the
full white brow, with its rings of clus-
tering hair. at means ecstatic bliss;
it means that l have now no part
nor lot with poor Richard Realf for
l can go to conquest in the light OF
your love, my own; it means that my
sorrowful life shall be filed with sun
shine, and that the sweet cup, instead
of bitter, has been placed to my wait
ing lips at last. The gates of my Ed
enland Of bright dreams of love and
fame are no more to be closed against
me; all because you have saved me
from my failure"
This was a long speech for the timid,
retiring man to make, but he was very
happy now. and the love OF his soul
had come after years of patient wait.
ing.
! \ happy, contented light shone
from the depths OF the blue:gray eyes.
and the happy woman in his arms
said, reverently: IL have found my
Beulah in the great, good soul of my
friend. We, you and /, have been
children of sorrow, but now for US the
MUSES. may sing soft, sweet psalm,
and at evening it shall be i ght. "
And her lover answered in his deep,
manly voice, "Amen!"-MANDA L.
CROKER.
Meaning of the Word Zero.
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